


Tri-Bae, one for the taking

by Jeageractive



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Au: no ghouls, Kan!triplets, M/M, Shironeki is a bit of an asshole, everybody wants Hide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4213233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeageractive/pseuds/Jeageractive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kaneki's twin brothers are severely attracted to his best friend, and it seemed the only way he could win the war is by going for Hide's heart as well.</p><p>Or: The Kan/Haise/Shiro triplets no one asked for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify I'm refering to Shironeki as simply "Shiro"

Kaneki ken; sixteen, shy bookworm, and insecure bed cacoonist, was content with living a drama and adventure lacking life if it meant he could have his share of peace every now and then. He had good relations with his peers at school, quite the best friend, and a loving mother at home.

If there was ever a case of unrest, then it normally would have to involve domestic conflict with his two twin brothers--whether be it fighting over who showers first or who gets the comfortable couch or who had the Tv remote first. He didn't like to take Shiro in a spat on his own--he could get a little overbearing and enjoyed abusing authority. Haise was much more reasonable, though, and Kaneki didn't mind tearing Shiro apart with Haise in between--if Shiro went to shove him, Haise wouldn't hesitate to return the gesture.

Unfortunately for Kaneki, they were quite the identical set of triplets. Face alone would make them hardly recognizable, but other features did establish their roles quite a bit. Shiro took it upon himself to completely bleach his hair and do it consistently to avoid black roots--unlike Haise who gets lazy and almost always has messy curls of black outgrowing white tips. Kaneki didn't care much, really, deciding to go au natural with his black hair, and actually combed it unlike the other two.

He guessed even if Shiro did manage to return to a completely black head of hair, it wouldn't be hard to distinguish between his firm build and Kaneki's lanky form. Kaneki envied him a little for practically perfecting a lithe body, although he wished he'd use it a little less to kick him around.

All in all, Kaneki felt like he was the most lacking of the two, but he tried not to let it bother him too much.

Until it began competing with his own relationships, that is.

He should've guessed something was up--Haise and Shiro began hovering around him during school a little too much. He thought nothing of it at first, until Shiro said it.

"What's your friend taking?" He starts one evening, when Kaneki was minding his own business on the couch. The (minutely) older throws himself on the unoccupied seat beside Kaneki, scooting too close and resting his chin on the raven's shoulder. Kaneki knew he only got this proximal when he wanted something.

"Who?" He tries to elbow him away, but he's unrelenting.

"Hide."

Kaneki makes a face."Nothing."

"You sure?"

"What do you mean I'm sure? Taking _what?"_

He shrugs, finally re-establishing space between them."Hormones or something. He went on vacation and came back really fucking hot, if you hadn't noticed."

Kaneki blanks.

"Oh wait, you don't notice those things."

"Really? You at it again?" Haise, who didn't appear to be listening a moment ago, throws in.

Kaneki feels himself flush in anger when it finally settles in. Oh. _Oh_. So that's what he's been up to."Don't even think about it," he warns, although he knows it's a little too late when Shiro cracks a smirk.

"Already have."

"Ugh, you're such a...!" Kaneki fumes, feeling his protectiveness over his best friend get the better of him."Shallow jerk."

Shiro's complexion darkens."You said something?" He jabs him in the side with his foot.

"Jer--"

"Quit it, Kaneki. And you," Haise throws his headphones off and nails Shiro in the face with the nearest cushion."Weren't you the one who picked on him the entire freshman year?"

"I wasn't picking on him," Shiro mutters, returning the cushion so it smacked the side of Haise's face, knocking his glasses off."Just teasing him. It's hard not to."

Haise smiles a little as he picks up his glasses, resigning from his competition with his brother."He _is_ kinda cute, to be honest."

Kaneki's mouth creaks open, throwing his hands in the air." _Haise!"_ He could not believe this utter betrayal.

"What?" He shrugs apologetically.

"What's it to you?" Shiro continues, giving him another annoying jab in the side."Thought he was only your best friend."

"He is," Kaneki couldn't help but let the childish protectiveness seep into his tone.

"So it doesn't concern you if I date him, hm?"

Kaneki didn't like where this was going."He hates your shitty attitude! Date him? Pfft." Kaneki regrets that only a little when he sees a small flash of hurt in his eyes.

But Shiro tries to shrug it off, jumping off the couch and smothering Kaneki's face with another cushion."So much lip service today. Not like you, Kaneki."

Haise sighs."Mom's really gotta get rid of those cushions. No one ever uses them right."

* * *

In retrospect, maybe he shouldn't have let the conversation escalate so much. Now that he knew his brothers were both pretty much adamant to get on Hide's pretty side--every move they made looked suspicious and harmful to him. He didn't mean to get this possessive, really. He just--Hide was so important to him. Having one of his brothers, no less, get even closer to Hide than he was? That was plain awful.

It was satisfying to see that Hide's affection for him hadn't wavered. He still beamed when he sees him in the morning, still attacks him with backwards hugs after a long weekend, and even though an unholy amount of Hide's attention belonged to him only, as soon as it diverts to a certain other two, he gets a little down. But he isn't the type to let it show.

For instance, Shiro knows how to get Hide flustered--casually make shoulder contact while passing by in the hallways, do the hair flip (Goddamit how much harder do you have to try), or simply corner him against a locker and toy with his feelings a little.

Haise liked to be a lot more subtle--or maybe he just toned it down for Kaneki's sake. His contact was limited to hair ruffles and cheek pinching or the occasional punny pick up line.

And Kaneki didn't know why he felt like Hide shouldn't like it--it wasn't like either of them were unattractive or hard to tolerate. It just--it felt like if he didn't do something soon, then he'd have to join the stupid date Hide competition that suddenly ran in his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a going to hurt myself so much with this fic *sweats nervously*


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I think y'all want a harem...but in the end I gotta make a choice. But harem for now.

Sometimes Kaneki found it difficult to describe Hide. Like, sure, they've been pals ever since Kaneki could remember, but that didn't cut it.

Hide was almost obnoxiously sunny--always grinning like he ruled the world, dressed in bright colors, listening to bright music, constantly fidgeting on the balls of his feet like a rabbit ready to pounce on any source of enjoyment. He was the boy you wanted to slap when you cross paths in the hallways because he looked too happy for life to be fair. But at the same time, he was the boy you wanted to sit beside all day and try to absorb the positive radiation he gave off, the one making you feel like you were a better person.

Cute was pretty accurate in terms of his looks. He had the types of expressions that are hard to miss or forget, a smile that was just-- _perfect_ , but it wasn't apparent why, only one dimpled cheek and indistinct seasonal freckles. His eyes were too bright to be simply brown--but they were only brown.

Maybe, coming from Kaneki, the details are vivid because he's been close to him for so long.

Shiro's taunting has edged him more than he would've liked, but it was true. Hide _had_ grown more attractive; there was something about the curve of his neck, his lips, his tan, the dip between his shoulders blades. Something Kaneki felt awfully sick about searching for in his best friend, and he often wondered what Hide would think if he found out.

Presently, he walked between his brothers to his first class, the three sharing several negative looks as they communicated their distress with eye contact alone.

Haise finally sighs, shifting his backpack to one shoulder."Whatever this is, it's gotta stop right now."

"Wuss. I was planning on a fight."

"You need an outlet to all that pent up violence, bro."

Shiro pointedly punches Haise's shoulder.

"That doesn't include one of _us_ ," Haise grits.

Kaneki leaves them behind with a roll of his eyes, shoving his textbooks into his locker and grabbing only what he needs. Almost subconsciously, he scans the mass of students for a certain blond head, wondering why he hadn't been jumped yet.

"Morning," was the instantaneous response to his thoughts, and he grunts a little when sudden pressure pushes against his shoulders.

"Hey." He turns to greet Hide, who now half waves at him as he twirls the combination for his lock."One day I'm gonna hit you when you do that."

"One day I'm gonna stop doing that." He grins, knowing how much the usual gesture irked Kaneki."Where's thing two and three?" They'd been dubbed thing one, two and three officially around the school.

"Arguing somewhere." Kaneki answers with a shrug."Hurry up, or we'll be late for class."

"Psh, Mr. Shinohara doesn't even care. I mean, he's nice enough not to."

"Dunno..."

Hide grabs his things and stuffs them in his bag. Then he swivels Kaneki around by the shoulders and playfully steers him forward. He walks beside him shortly after."We should totally hang out sometime this week. Or get that French project done. Or both."

Kaneki smiles a little at his eagerness."Come over this weekend, then. Even mom's been missing you."

"Aw! A month without your mom's cooking. I've gotta say, I miss her too. Don't tell your brothers I said this, but watching her line you three up and yell at you is probably the highlight of my visits."

The raven shoves him a little as he snickers."Thanks, I'll let Shiro know."

"No thanks! Don't want him on my case anytime soon."

 _He already is_ , Kaneki internally grumbles.

As if to prove his thoughts, Shiro was already starting to get showy so early in the morning. Kaneki finds him sitting on his desk as the classroom bustled with pre class chatter, one foot on the edge of Touka's chair as he conversed with the ravenette. That wasn't the issue--it was the hitched up sleeves of his black dress shirt and the open buttons at his chest. It was the smouldering look he threw at Hide when the blond wasn't looking.

It was in the way Hide's eyes flickered twice towards Shiro--nothing too giving, but enough for Kaneki, who knew how to read him best. Hide rarely looked at something twice, or swallowed in discomfort after, for that matter.

Kaneki felt something unpleasant brew at the pit of his stomach--wishing at that moment he had the guts to go up there and kick his brother's smug ass off the desk. But instead, he shares a pleading look with Haise across the room, who smiles sympathetically and makes a throat slitting motion at Shiro's back.

Maybe one day.

* * *

 Physical education this year was a win-lose. Well, first of all, Kaneki liked it to a certain extent--delaying it for a year meant Shiro would've taken it the first year and Hide and himself were spared that cocky nuisance.

But now, there was _Haise_ to deal with. Haise in his black sleeveless top, Haise and his bare wiry biceps, Haise and his mussed up, sweat damp hair, Haise not even trying, looking bloody attractive and out of breath, Haise and one-on-one's with Hide and gymnastics.

Goddamit. God fucking _dammit_.

If there was one thing that worked out between Haise and Hide--it was that Haise loved to teach and Hide loved to learn. Sometimes; on the rare occasion Hide felt the need to push himself harder with school, they'd sit in the library and pour over textbooks and worksheets together. But in phys. Ed, it was always Hide getting his ass handed to him by a playful Haise, always physical (hence the name of the course) contact and pressing up against each other for "learning purposes" and that load of crap.

Kaneki tried to refrain from sulking and chickening out from activities just because he could.

And Haise honestly helped a lot. He liked to push Kaneki to get involved as much as he did to Hide. Kaneki didn't feel as bothered with him around, because he didn't rub his better qualities in his face like Shiro enjoyed doing.

Their gym teacher was more of a demanding presence when Haise was there.

"Okay, guys, we have three days to complete and present a sequence, and uh...we're doing pretty good!" Haise throws an arm around both Kaneki and Hide, who share a sheepish look.

"We'll pass." Hide offers.

"Jesus, that hurts my enthusiasm. We'll do more than pass. We got like, two moves to perfect and that's that. I mean, I got Kaneki to cartwheel, how much more do you want?"

Hide chuckles, poking Kaneki's flushed cheek."Work it, Ken!"

"Now you're just making fun of me."

"Anytime, bro."

"Hide, you're not any better," Haise jabs, pinching his shoulder."More muscle here. You can't even do a handstand against a wall."

"Eat it, Nagachika!" Kaneki mimics with a grin, to which Hide kicks him lightly for.

"Team work, booooys."

They both giggle at his imitation of Mr. Mogan.

Hide tries to work on his handstand while Kaneki provides moral support (and the occasional tease) while Haise coached their team of three.

"You sure you're trying your best?" Haise probes, as Hide swings his legs up again.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Giving me a nice of view of your ass, that's what."

Hide loses balance and collapses again, flushed from neck to ear.

Kaneki gives Haise a 'seriously?' Look.

"Give 'em a hand for that handstand, Kaneki." Haise chuckles, looking way too pleased with his jokes. Two in a row.

Soon enough, they got tired of badgering Hide about his handstand, Haise opting to practice his long jump while Hide carried Kaneki piggyback style and tried to run a lap. In the end Mr. Morgan caught them fooling around and they had to get back on track.

"Literally."

"Haise, this many puns in one day _cannot_ be good for your health."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahaha *shamelessly leaves this here after decades* 
> 
> I'm sorry but this fandom has bit me in the ass and I'm not sure if I want to continue anymore

Hide felt like he could pride himself in reading the people he loved. Maybe he was a bit too observant, and overthought small things, but in the end it made him that much better at dealing with an identical three that all happened to be really dear to him.

Until he went on vacation, that is. A couple months, was all it took, for him to return and feel like some emotional crisis he'd missed had completely destroyed the comfort zone they'd established in six years. 

Maybe he was the one going about it wrong? But he swore he wasn't doing anything different. It was in Kaneki's behaviour, in the way he flinched when Hide hugged him randomly, or the nervous averting of eye contact when he came close.

Things best friend shouldn't feel concerned about, and small things no one else would pick up. But when you pick them up, they hurt like a bitch.

Haise was also developing weird antics, but for better or for worse, Hide didn't know. He was getting a bit unbearable. Ridiculous pick up lines. Ridiculous attention span, so that every time they studied together, Haise would rather study Hide, eyes swimming with something difficult to understand, palm pressed against his lips to keep what's in his eyes from spilling.

And Hide would snap his fingers in front of Haise's face and joke it off. Pretend he didn't ponder it for days.

But the one edging towards becoming a real problem, was undoubtedly Shiro. Now, Shiro's always been a problem, but over time he becomes a companionable problem you simply can't do without. So long as you keep him fulfilled, he's easy to work with.

And now Shiro was missing something.

"Hey," Hide had once greeted when they crossed paths in the empty school corridor. 

Instead of messing up Hide's hair and calling him an irksome pet name or just charmingly waving him off like he normally did, he turns on him like a predator and completely obstructs his path.

"Hey," he returns, but the 'ey' was dragged in such a way that Hide had to laugh.

"Are you in a good mood or did Haise finally brush his hair and decided to confront me as you?"

"You making fun of me? Haise can brush his hair all he wants and he'd still be a fucking nerd."

"I don't know, attractive nerds are trendy." Hide shrugs with a lopsided grin, and Shiro's eyes flash with something dangerous.

"You're into nerds now, are you?"

Well, that was the fastest Shiro had ever turned on him.

"Geez, Shiro, why'd we get all defensive? I swear I thought I was just going to class." Hide, smiling, wonders where the teasing went. Wonders where the careless attitude Shiro liked to slay him with had evaporated. He didn't like it.

"Fine." Shiro smacks his gum in finality, after a long moment of thoughtful hesitation. Restraint, almost, like he could pounce on Hide and rip him apart.

And the worst part was, Hide didn't know in what way that last statement would apply. 

He takes his time to casually play with the collar of Hide's shirt, undoing his first button tauntingly."Attractive nerds are in, aren't they? You'd better be in, then."

He didn't like it one bit. 

"Later, babe."

-

Hide, a bit disheartened, and extremely confused, didn't want to see Shiro that day. But he really wanted to to see Kaneki. Luck or fate or their class schedule does it that Kaneki was taking French with him later that day.

He finds him in his usual spot near the back window, nose in a book.

"La..." Hide stutters as he saunters over, squinting at the cover Kaneki indignantly turned away from him."La poubelle?"

"Hide."

"Sorry, bad jokes."

"What's up?" 

"Nothing. Where's Tsukiyama?"

"He's a bit late today." Kaneki sighs, rather relieved. Their French teacher had a striking interest in the triplets, one he shamelessly indulged, harassing Kaneki left and right. He did the same, if not worse, to Shiro, who put him in his place when necessary.

Haise tried his best to politely wave him off. All in all, guy had a Ken obsession, and he's yet to be fired for suspected pedophilia.

"What's wrong?" Kaneki instantly notices. Hide feels guiltily transparent, and whips up a grin as Kaneki inches over in his chair.

"Who?"

"You. Not like you to zone out like that."

"Nothing." He chuckles, and Kaneki doesn't buy it."Really, it's nothing. Just, you know, everyday Shiro."

At this, Kaneki gazes to the side knowingly."Shit. He's on your case, isn't he?"

"He's always been? It's just that, I don't know..." Hide laughs again, an awkward laugh."All you three. You've just...grown weird ever since I came back."

"How so?" Kaneki mutters, and at this point he was clearly being cautious. 

"It might be me. Maybe I screwed up somewhere."

Kaneki pauses, watching Hide carefully. Guiltily. Knowingly.

Hide had never felt this distant from Kaneki before, and it hurt. He watches as the raven idly scratches his pen against the side of his desk, mulling a thing of words over and over.

"Shiro hasn't seen anyone for a while..." Kaneki mutters mysteriously."He's just.... I don't know..." It takes a lot for him to say his next words without sounding bitter."Really into you, I guess."

Hide turns his eyes to the front of the class. Anywhere but Kaneki.

Oh.

He blanks, blanks like he usually does when he doesn't want to spill anything just yet. 

"Would you date him if he asked?" Scratch, scratch, scratch. His pen continued anxiously against the desk."Would you?"

Everything made sense, in a weird way. Not just Shiro. But yes, partially Shiro. Staring him down to ashes with those hungry eyes.

Haise, too, was clear as daylight. Awkward. Sweet. Lips quiet, eyes glimmering with a weird sort of affection.

And Kaneki. Hide's heart clenched a bit.

Kaneki, weighing his heavy words. Kaneki, bitter about it all. Kaneki, evasive as he was but transparent as well when Hide made contact.

Oh. 

Hide keeps his eyes to the front, feeling something heavy settle on his shoulders.

"Bonjour, class!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess I'm continuing after all..
> 
> thanks for the feedback, btw .///

When French class wraps up and Hide still hadn't uttered a word or batted an eyelash away from the board, Kaneki realized he'd fucked up.

For once, he wished Shiro would beat him up for being such an idiot. He fumbles with his books with his jaw set in discomfort, his eyes guiltily on Hide's tense back.

There was never a time where he had to consider how he'd fix things with Hide—it was always Hide fixing things and taking everything easy. There was never a time when he'd slipped so thoughtlessly, either.

But, he told himself. You didn't tell him anything. Breathe—if there was anyone in the spotlight, it was Shiro. Hide didn't know.  
He stares at his back again, thinks to how he'd been admiring his every detail and dip of bone. God, he was sick. But now, now he had to fix things or else the guilt would drive him crazy. 

"Hide," he stutters tentatively, quickly following the blond out of the classroom when he didn't respond."Wait, Hide." 

Casually, he slips his headphones on, although he'd clearly heard Kaneki. A gesture like that was too low for Hide, and so unlike him, all the more telling that he was hurt. Kaneki couldn't blame him. He wouldn't how he'd feel if it were the other way around.

Maybe he would've liked it. His fingers clench around his backpack strap. So sick.

"Hide—" he gets cut off by Hide spinning around suddenly, eyes blank. He grins (a papery grin) as he regards Kaneki.

"Yeah?"

Kaneki stops, and for a moment can only stare at him, dumbfounded. 

"I just...well..." Shit. Kaneki wasn't confrontational. He breathes in deeply, fidgeting with his sleeve as the discomfort of the situation settled in. "About—"

"Don't worry about it." There was something painstakingly final about his words,and something irritably familiar about the situation. It made Kaneki remember how bad he was with people. Remember that Hide was the only time people became easy, but now, it seemed Kaneki was stupid for thinking so.

"Oh...well, where are you going?"

"Out to buy lunch. Forgot to pack again," he chuckles."See ya."

He watches him leave, fingers clenching and unclenching his backpack strap in frustration. It was all Shiro's fault. Kaneki wouldn't be acting this way, wouldn't be feeling this way if Shiro would just stop being a whore—  
His anger quietly builds up as he turns and strides blindly, but subconsciously, to find a corner in the library. 

Hide had always been fine as just as a friend. Kaneki never remembered ever thinking about a guy that way—let alone his best friend. There was just an instinctive defensive mechanism to...whatever it was, that made him refuse to accept someone like his brother becoming closer to his best friend—closer on another level. He was fucking done with Shiro. He should've been done with him the moment he'd started to prowl around Hide and start asking suspicious questions.  
Quietly, yet efficiently, these thoughts brewed his anger. Apparently he was parading down the hallway with such an aura that Haise had to grab him by the shoulders and make him physically come to.

"Woah,"

"Fuck off."

Haise's eyes doubled."Woah," he repeats with more enunciation. After a moment of worried brotherly scrutiny, he tries again."Come with me to caf?"

"Please leave me alone."

"Hide just left with Touka, and now you? What's up?"

"Nothing, courtesy of Shiro whoring out. I wouldn't be surprised if he feels like he needs to surround himself with a group of friends that doesn't eye rape him, though."

Kaneki shrugs him off and continues, doesn't really anticipate that his words would result in Haise and Shiro brooding in opposite ends of the house later that day, each sporting an equally bloody nose.

"I'm sorry," Was all Kaneki could manage when he finds Haise sprawled on his stomach in the room they shared, furiously attacking his math homework. The combination of bloody tissues surrounding his workspace and his pouring over his work would've been endearingly amusing, had it been another circumstance. "Did you two fight again?"

The scratching of pencil against paper was his only answer. It seemed they all shared one habit of brooding; which included doing something mentally strenuous. And breaking a lot of pencils, he mused, when Haise's lead snaps in half and he quits, dropping his head on his paper.

"I didn't mean what I said earlier. I was just frustrated," the younger sighs as he sits on his bed.

"Kaneki."

"Yes."

"You don't have the right going around saying you care the most about Hide."

The silence begins to tense up remarkably. Kaneki braces himself.

"You don't have the right to go around calling your brother a whore. You don't have the right to get defensive. If you think," he pauses, carefully choosing his words."That being Hide's best friend makes it wrong for one of us to be more intimate with him, then...you're pretty selfish."

Haise sits up, dabs his nose with a tissue before continuing. "And I think we both know that that isn't the case. You like him differently now. That's why you're acting defensive."

"I don't," he whispers, knowing how weak his argument was.

"You do. Get over it."

"Don't you?"

"It's not important."

"Nice. So you're going to be the self sacrificing one, right?" Kaneki regrets it as soon as its past his lips.

Haise looks him in the eye."You know what? You and Shiro are practically on the same page, you're just more quiet about it. Who said he wanted to date you, anyway? Can't he have a friend with clean thoughts about him?"

Haise, being the eternally righteous one, was right, despite how much his words had aggravated Kaneki. He was right, and Kaneki was a liar because maybe he liked Hide a bit too much—and maybe Shiro and him were on the same page. 

Fuck.

After a night of self loathing induced insomnia, Hide was the last person Kaneki needed to see so early in the morning, interrupting the raven's sanctuary in the library. His stomach churns nervously as he sees a blond head approaching behind his book. He wanted to run away.

"Morning."

The one time Kaneki dearly wished Hide wasn't a walking, talking ball of sunshine.

His book is pulled away from his face when there's no response. "Mo-hor-ninnnng." Hide tries again, all refreshed smiles and eyes.

"Hi."

"I expected an enthusiastic response to challenge mine, but." He shrugs."What's up?"

"I'm reading." Kaneki responds meekly, trying to hide behind his book again.

"Wow, rude." Hide sighs, goes to grab Kaneki's wrist, who subconsciously moves his hand away. And just like that, the atmosphere drops like it does after a bombshell.

Hide tenses. Kaneki drops his book, nervously searching his face."I—I'm. I'm sorry."

Hide sits back in the chair beside his, interlacing his own fingers as he mulls something over and Kaneki drowns in guilt again. His eyes tell nothing and all Kaneki could think was I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.

I wish we could just be friends, but I'm sick.

"Why don't you talk to me? Tell me what's bothering you?"

And just like that, Hide's tone changes again, and he slams his hands resolutely on either side of Kaneki's chair, who squeaks in surprise.

"Do you want to kiss me?" He asks, completely serious, and Kaneki loses his ability to form coherent speech.

"Wh—Hide—" you're too close, dammit.

"No, I'm actually serious. Do you?" 

It's hard to meet his eyes, even harder to breathe with him this close, and instead of answering, Kaneki gives his cheek a nice, resonating slap with the paperback in his hand. And before he can break down at the ridiculous heat of the situation, he once again parades out of the library, unable to think of the consequences of his actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry I don't intend to keep this angst heavy


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly rises from the dead*does anyone even remember this fic

As far as high school drama normally went, Hide would say their school was ridiculously boring. Every now and then you'd see a girl fight or an intense make out session in the corner, but otherwise everyone was too worn out to start anything.

Shiro, however, and as always, was another case. Being the lord of drama and action, his mere presence promised some new spur of contempt.

Hide could only make a small prayer when said lord rounded the hall, sleeves hitched, jaw set, shoulder to shoulder with an equally stiff faced Haise. Their eyes locked onto Hide and at that moment he knew his ass was whooped.

"Guys?" He attempts meekly just before Shiro has him artfully pressed up against a locker. "What the—"

"Shut up." Shiro grits from under his bangs, pinning Hide with his arm.

"One word." Haise says evenly, a fair distribution of murder in his tone. "Kaneki."

"Kaneki what?" Hide breathes incredulously.

"What the fuck did you do?"

As if Hide wasn't confused before—he was plain confounded now. His eyes darted back and forth between the twins as his mind raced to put Kaneki and a personal wrong doing in one memory: but nothing. Praise the lord, he had done absolutely nothing and he was being manhandled like this.

Shiro shoves him angrily."Liar."

"No, are you serious right now?" Hide wasn't following, nothing was matching up. "What is it? Why are you all-Is he hurt?"  
-  
The abrupt confrontation led Hide—not any less confused— to take the Ken residence stairs by two, burst into Kaneki's room with morbid expectations and without so much as a knock. Kaneki broke a leg, Kaneki tried to kill himself, Kaneki this, that—his mind wouldn't stop reeling with these awful thoughts.

Consequently, he has a split second to dodge an airborne box of tissue upon entrance.

"Haise, I told you to fuck off," was his muffled greeting. Kaneki sat in the darkest corner of his bunk, back hunched, three boxes of tissue by his leg. In one piece.

Hide could not believe it.

"Sooo..." He mused, glancing at Haise for an explanation once he'd silently retreated.

Haise rubs his eyes tiredly."He's been having this sob fest since yesterday, and he refuses to talk about it. The only thing I could get out of him was your name before the idiot was crying in his corner again."

Hide feels his cheeks redden when he suddenly realizes that he might vaguely know what this was all about."Oh. Uh, and you just, went autopilot defensive then?"  
  
"Sorry." Haise smiles apologetically, throwing an arm around Hide and bringing him close."Baby brother was literally dying and I could only autopilot."

"This is about Hide still, so why you telling him sorry?" Shiro buds in, bristling at the unnecessarily intimate display."Spit it out, fucker. What'd you do?" Fucker was said fondly, followed by a light slap that's only purpose was to make contact with Hide's cheek. Hide internally breathes in relief. Safe and forgiven.

"Nothing." He looks away guiltily, recalling his ridiculous advance on Kaneki."I'm just having a shitty friend moment, y'know?"  
-

"So, like, who in their right mind slaps someone and spends the night crying about it?" Hide, being the sweet humoured child he was, begins with an equally sweet smile as he peers at Kaneki questioningly.

They sat shoulder to shoulder on Kaneki's bed, the latter flush with mortification and emotional illness, fumbling with a wad of tissue to keep his gaze away. Shit. So much betrayal on his brother's side could only lead to this. But then again, he'd probably kill himself thinking about this if it weren't resolved.

"You were—you forced me to," he justifies weakly.

"I know, I'm sorry! One doesn't simply get in their friend's face and ask for kisses. It's just, I'm hot, right? So I thought I should be privileged to..."

Kaneki laughs despite himself and shoves him, catching his playful tone."Stop. You're full of shit."

"I love you too."

Tension. It hit, so quick that they had to stare into each other's eyes for a moment to see where it came from.

When had Hide ever had to tell Kaneki he loved him and had to think twice about it? Had to think about in what way it would be taken, and had to look past their comfort zone? It was ridiculous. It hurt a bit, too.  
But maybe, maybe he was beginning to understand and see the problem.

"Hey, wanna go out? I found a new burger joint."

"What...is this a date, or...?"

"Kaneki, for the love of God, what do I look like to you?

Kaneki blushed furiously, angry with himself. What a dumb question.

Hide sees this as his chance to press further."Seriously. Do I look like a potential husband? Wife, maybe?"

"Hide!" Kaneki was almost choking. Unbelievable.

"I need to know." He was playful, but he was earnest. He was confused, but he was finally getting it? "I really do."

"You're just—you're just Hide." How childish, Kaneki could almost grimace. He sweeps the floor with his gaze, trying to collect his thoughts."You're just Hide, and I don't want that to change."  
For a moment, Hide only tortures him with his calculative eyes, makes him curl in around himself subconsciously. The last time Kaneki was cornered like this, he'd smacked Hide with a book. He didn't think a reoccurrence of a similar incident would take them anywhere good.

Finally, Hide concludes it with a soft sigh."Can we lay down for a bit?"

Fucking. Kaneki stares at the floor, angry at himself, angry at Hide, angry at Shiro, angry at his lack of self control. Angry at the way things liked to change.

"Just Hide." He could hear the grin in his voice."No homo. No nothing."

But then again, some things would always stay the same. Just Hide. It was the most reassuring thing he could've heard at the moment.

How could Kaneki refuse such an offer?

They ended up sleeping it off, oddly enough, after a couple of light hearted jokes, waking up in the middle of the night to find Kaneki's face buried in Hide's arm and the latter's phone filled with worried calls from his mother.

"Are you hungry?" Kaneki says tiredly into the quiet darkness, when it was decided Hide might as well just stay the night, and the mother was answered to and eased.

"Starving." The blond cracks a yawn, the edges of his mussed up hair getting caught in the yellow light form the hallway. "How about that burger joint?

"Hide, it's like, 12:30."

"Hm. How about the fridge?"

"It's still 12:30, but I say yes."  
-

They carry themselves downstairs, a bit woozy from awkward sleep, mumbling shushing noises in courtesy of the silent house and it's slumbering occupants. For a moment, it was like nothing happened. It was an amazing feeling, really.

"Can you cook, Kaneki?"

"Does ramen count?" The raven rubs his eyes tiredly as they scuffle into the living room, heading towards the kitchen.

"Oh hell, I'm on my own tonight."

They find Haise sleeping lightly, having taken the biggest couch and a cushion, glasses forgotten and loosely settled over his nose. While they admired and giggled over his sleeping form, they forgot the third and most dangerous twin, and consequently scared themselves dead when the basement door swings open and a sweaty Shiro emerges in all his glory, glaring at them in confusion.

"Holy shit," Hide squeaks.

"What, never seen a midnight workout before?" Shiro sneers teasingly after staring them down. "Why the hell are you guys up? Thought you'd cuddle till morning."

"We're hungry."

"We weren't cuddling."

They both blurt, and Shiro scrunched up his nose in distaste as he sizes them up for a bit."What the hell, I was going to have a bite too. Might as well get you to cook for me." He shrugs and starts to make his way to the kitchen.

"Overbearing bitch."

His eyes flash and he rounds up on Kaneki, grabbing him in a headlock. "You're really asking for it, with the dirty shit you've been talking lately."

"What are you gonna do, sweat on me? Ugh, gross."

Hide tries to cover a laugh so he doesn't wake Haise as Shiro drags a struggling Kaneki to the kitchen with more sweat and cooking threats.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coughcoughfiller   
> Jk I currently have no idea where this fic is going

"Fritters." Shiro repeats for what seemed like the third time, staring Kaneki down, and still being imposing about it despite the short distance.

"Yes, fritters. Got any other suggestions, since you're suddenly so proficient in food?"

"Hm. I say we cook you. Not much flesh, but you might make some good stock..." He stabs his cheek for affect, and Kaneki, with a mixture of discomfort and horror scoots away from him with his bowl of potatoes. Hide squeezes in between them to break the teasing and crack the eggs into the bowl.

"I could've got that for you, babe." Shiro leans back attractively, Kaneki gags, and Hide offers him the empty egg shells with a smile.

"No offence, but you're practically useless." 

"You piece of shit." 

Hide laughs, and dumps the shells himself when his indignant fellow refuses."What did I tell you?"

"Useless." Kaneki echoes, extremely satisfied as he poked at the sizzling pan.

A whistle from the kitchen doorway grabs their attention, and they turn to find Haise leaning against the doorframe with his glasses pushing his hectic hair back."Looks like someone's getting his ass handed to him by a couple of nerds."

Shiro snarls."You here to pick a fight, snoring beauty?"

Haise grins sleepily as he makes his way towards them."No, actually. Got carried here by the overwhelming smell of..." He stares over a blushing Kaneki's shoulder."Fritters?"

"Shut up." 

"Nice. The oil is burning though, Ken, and if the fire alarm goes off, mom will have our asses."

"Shit."

Haise smiles knowingly and hitches up his sleeves."Say no more, brethren." 

Shiro snorts."Don't hurt yourself, nerd."

Haise took it from there, and they all fumbled around him in relief as he cooked with ease, and avoided what would've eventually been a midnight meal disaster. Hide practically fawned over him the entire time, as he always did when Haise started acting all excellent and shit, much to the dismay of two others. Hide never fawned over them whenever they did anything, just cuz, what? Haise could be a nerd about it and still look cool?

"Yes, Mac and cheese and potatoe fitters. So much starch y'all are falling asleep right here." Haise announces, easily making what could've been the best dish of Mac and cheese they'd ever had and sliding it onto the table. In a matter of minutes, too.

"This is a bad idea, Hide." Kaneki mourns.

"Considering we have school tomorrow?" Haise sighs tiredly."Yes, this is an awful idea."

It was potentially, one of the worst ideas the blond had ever suggested. But hey, it's been so long since they'd all gotten together so naturally, and a little lack of sleep was totally worth it."Come on, guys," Hide grins, all Mac and cheese."Be a little more adventurous." 

"Did you just?" Shiro cringes."Get out."

"You get out." Haise shoots back, toeing his chair."Who invited you to our nerd fest, anyway?"

"Dunno, wasn't a nerd fest till you came in, snoring beauty." He shoves some pasta into his mouth."Damn, nerd. I would marry you for your cooking. Except, everything else about you would kinda make me barf it all up, anyway."

"You're probably gonna end up trying me, too, so don't push your luck. I just might reject you." Haise warns.

"I'm not into incest right now, but I'll tell you if I ever change my mind. You in, Kaneki?"

Said twin chokes on a fritter.

"You too, Hide. We'll have a party."

The triplets were subconsciously, and secretly, eyeing hide from their peripheral vision as they anticipated his response. Hide, unsure how to feel, respond, and kinda wanting to slap Shiro with his plate, feigns a smile."Nah, I'll just ship it from the sideline."


End file.
